Thurston manager raises safety concerns after Commissioner Clouse tells him she bought a gun
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Commissioner Clouse investigation and fallout
Thurston County’s commission removed Emily Clouse from her appointed advisory boards and commissions on Aug. 13, 2024, after receiving a sexual harassment complaint from her executive aide.
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Correction: Amy Davis has been serving as Clerk of the Board and Executive Assistant to Thurston County Manager Leonard Hernandez since Nov. 1, 2024. Those roles used to be separate. A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the county manager executive assistant position was missing from an organizational chart.
Commissioner Emily Clouse told Thurston County Manager Leonard Hernandez earlier this month that she bought a gun to protect herself. That prompted Hernandez to send a memo about workplace concerns related to Clouse to all county commissioners, including Commissioner-Elect Rachel Grant, but not to Clouse.
The memo led to a vague but ominous commissioner discussion Monday and pushback from Clouse.
Hernandez’s Dec. 16 memo details concerns stemming from Clouse’s Dec. 13 comment about buying a gun as well as recommendations for improving county safety in the event of an active shooter. The memo also describes a communication breakdown between Hernandez and Clouse, low morale among county staff, and worries about the county’s reputation.
The Olympian obtained a copy of the memo after the commissioners had a cursory discussion about it during an open meeting Monday. The exchange raised questions about the contents of the memo and county security.
When reached for comment, Clouse said Hernandez’ memo “misrepresents the tone and substance” of their Dec. 13 conversation and she takes gun safety seriously.
“During my time in the military, I was extensively trained in firearm safety and responsible handling, and adherence to those principles is something I continue to take very seriously,” Clouse said. “Any suggestion that I would use a firearm irresponsibly is not only unfounded but deeply insulting to my commitment to safety and professionalism.”
Hernandez sent the memo to commissioners 10 days after the county released a long-awaited report on an investigation into Clouse and her relationship with her executive aide.
Since then, the board voted 4-0 to censure Clouse. Meanwhile, Clouse has said she intends to continue serving as a commissioner and working with her colleagues.
What did the board say on Monday?
Commissioner Wayne Fournier shared paper copies of the memo with the other commissioners at the Monday meeting after requesting it be discussed.
In the ensuing conversation, Commissioner Gary Edwards referred to a person potentially “going postal” and causing “death and destruction.” “Going postal” is a slang phrase that refers to someone becoming angry to the point of using violence, usually in a workplace.
“I think we need to look into this right now, today, because we are exposing ourselves to terrible liability if something goes haywire here,” Edwards said on Monday.
The commissioners did not publicly state what specifically prompted the memo and instead held multiple closed-door executive sessions to discuss it further.
Following the initial meeting, The Olympian asked Clerk of the Board Amy Davis to share the memo in question. However, Davis did not share the memo and instead directed The Olympian to file a public records request, which can take months to be fulfilled.
The Olympian asked Edwards to explain his choice of words on Monday. He said his concern was due to comments Clouse made about a gun to county staff. When asked if there was a threat to public safety, the former sheriff said, “I certainly hope not.”
“The county is already facing some serious liability and litigation involving Commissioner Clouse,” Edwards said in reference to a lawsuit filed by Clouse’s former aide. “I just don’t want it to get any worse.”
After a Tuesday executive session, the board decided to release a statement about the memo and Davis shared it with The Olympian on Thursday.
“We appreciate the County Manager bringing this to our attention and acknowledging the needs for safety and improvements to the County’s reputation,” the board said. “The Board has instructed the County Manager, with support from all appropriate departments, to ensure our safety measures are evaluated and, if needed, improved immediately.
“The Board is dedicated to continuing our commitment to the community and taxpayers of Thurston County and ensuring our reputation encapsulates the great work county employees are doing every single day.”
Why is there talk about a gun?
In the memo, Hernandez said Clouse met with him in his office to ask about an email related to public engagement that he had sent to the board.
During that conversation, Hernandez said Clouse was “very upset” and expressed frustration with the other commissioners and with him for the way she perceived she was being treated.
This was not the first time Clouse had expressed those frustrations, but Hernandez said this conversation raised red flags for him.
“The difference this time was she mentioned she went out and bought a gun to protect herself at home from people who were driving by her house,” Hernandez wrote. “She linked the cause of this to how the Board and County have handled the investigation.”
Hernandez went on to explain that he underwent mandatory workplace violence training when he worked in San Bernardino County in California. That training was required after a Dec. 2, 2015, mass shooting that left 14 dead and injured nearly two dozen others.
As part of that training, Hernandez said he learned to watch out for certain signs among stressed employees who are in conflict with their co-workers or subjected to disciplinary action.
“The purchasing of a firearm for ‘protection’ is one of those signs, especially when the employee begins to talk about it at the workplace,” Hernandez wrote. “I mention this not to accuse Commissioner Clouse of wrongdoing, but rather out of the abundance of caution to her and the people who work at Thurston County.”
Clouse told The Olympian she bought a gun to protect herself after being harassed. She said she’s had vulgar, profane messages left at her office and she’s received “unsettling emails of sexual nature.” She also has concerns about strangers driving by her home.
“I wish those concerns were being treated with the seriousness they deserve, but unfortunately I haven’t felt like my concerns have been fully recognized or addressed by county leadership,” Clouse said.
Clouse said she strongly disagrees with Hernandez’s decision to conflate her personal safety concerns with a “tragic terrorist attack” in San Bernardino.
“That comparison was inappropriate and unnecessarily inflammatory,” Clouse said.
Hernandez makes safety recommendations
Hernandez advised the board to develop a zero-tolerance workplace policy and require mandatory annual training, according to the memo.
He also recommended they seek advice from the Sheriff’s Office on developing a “workplace active shooter plan” for the Commissioner’s Office and Atrium staff, if one is not already developed.
The Commissioners’ Office and other general government offices are located in The Atrium, a building at 3000 Pacific Ave. in Olympia.
Additionally, Hernandez recommended The Atrium be outfitted with panic buttons and “other preventative measures as necessary.”
Lastly, he advised the board to provide Clouse with counseling resource as well as have the Human Resources Department and Sheriff’s Office “sensitively” follow-up with her about her firearm comments.
Clouse said she thinks it’s important for all workplaces to take safety seriously and she appreciates efforts to improve safety at the county. However, she disagrees with how these recommendations were brought up.
“These kinds of recommendations, when given with this context, can create unnecessary fear and further complicate the working environment,” Clouse said.
When asked, she said HR and the Sheriff’s Office have not followed-up with her about her comments.
What other concerns does Hernandez have?
In the memo, Hernandez said Clouse misrepresented things he has said and done in several instances over the past six months, including in the investigation report and to other commissioners.
“I have largely tried to remedy those instances as they have occurred, even though it has greatly bothered me,” Hernandez wrote.
He also accused Clouse of questioning his “integrity and truthfulness” as well as his role at the county.
As a result, Hernandez advised the board to not allow anyone to speak with Clouse alone, in person or over the phone, and to approve all her work requests by majority agreement.
He also advised the board to have Clouse submit all her questions “about the investigation and lawsuit” to her own attorney.
“I will not be engaging in any topics related to this, including her perspectives on how her peers are treating her,” Hernandez wrote.
Clouse told The Olympian she strongly disagrees with Hernandez’ characterization of their interactions. She said some of the confusion may stem from earnest efforts to better understand her duties and his role.
“I’m always trying to communicate clearly and transparently with Leonard (Hernandez) and county staff,” Clouse said. “If there are misunderstandings, I make efforts to clarify those misunderstandings and address them directly.”
Hernandez also made the following recommendations in the memo.
- The board should work with the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to secure an outside law firm that specializes in employment law and “high profile cases.”
- The board ought to consider consulting with a Public Relations Firm to assist with “messaging and quick media responses in light of continued press attention.”
- The board should “strategize and discuss how to counterbalance the negative press.”
Though the county’s investigation into Clouse has concluded, her former executive aide is still suing the county for sexual harassment, retaliation and suppression.
“My perspective is that the county has been out maneuvered because they are dealing with this evolving scenario on so many fronts and having to navigate attorneys from both the employee who filled the lawsuit and Commissioner Clouse’s attorney,” Hernandez wrote.
How has all this impacted county staff?
Hernandez said in the memo that the situation with Clouse has proven time consuming and increased workloads for everyone involved.
He said county employees have told him they are “demoralized to see Thurston County negatively represented in the press, story after story.”
“Last week a Program Manager, who did not want to be named, said they are no longer proud to work for this organization,” Hernandez wrote.
He went on to say some county staff have shared that they do not want to work with nor support Clouse “for a variety of reasons,” and Clouse “does not seem to understand or accept that reality.”
“Lastly, this situation will have a major impact on our ability to recruit new talent to the County,” Hernandez wrote. “With the need to recruit for several recently vacated high level positions and retain talented staff, I remain concerned about the continued ramifications of this dynamic.”
Clouse told The Olympian she has not directly experienced negative reactions from county staff.
“I take these concerns about staff morale really seriously, and I always make myself available and open to hearing constructive feedback,” Clouse said. “If there are frustrations, I want to understand this so that we can address any misunderstandings and build stronger working relationships.”
The county has seen several notable departures and reshufflings this year, The Olympian previously reported.
An organizational chart for the Commissioner’s Office lists Amy Davis working double duty as Clerk of the Board and Executive Assistant for Hernandez. Those roles were previously separate.
There’s a vacant position on the communications team, and the Racial Equity Program manager position has yet to be filled.
On Tuesday, Assistant County Manager Rob Gelder said he’s leaving the county to become the first city administrator for Poulsbo. In his resignation letter, Gelder said this new role will bring him back to the community in which he began his public service career.
Gelder went on to say Hernandez was the right person for the county manager role.
“Your vision, attention to detail, understanding of process and interpersonal dynamics are crucial for the county to move forwards,” Gelder wrote.
Gelder’s departure coincides with the retirement of Assistant County Manager Robin Campbell, who has served the county for over 14 years. That leaves Joshua Cummings as the sole assistant county manager.
Notably, The San Bernardino Sun reported that dozens of county employees left San Bernardino County while Hernandez worked there as Chief Executive Officer and he ultimately left amid controversy.
More than a dozen employees told The Sun that Hernandez created a culture of bullying and intimidation that pushed out experienced workers.
Hernandez refuted those accusations in an interview with The Olympian after he was selected to be county manager earlier this year.
“Though we are experiencing an unprecedented situation involving Commissioner Clouse, we are dedicated to ensuring healthy staff morale and the well-being of our employees,” Davis said in a statement to The Olympian.
This story was originally published December 20, 2024 at 10:40 AM.
